Track-aligning device



Jan. 7, 1930. s.' ERICKSON TRACK ALIGNING DEVICE '34 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2 4, 1928 Jan. 7, 1930. E. G, ERlcKsoN 1,742,951

TRACK ALIGNING DEVICE Filed swept. 24, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 2 ATTOR NEY E. G. ERICKSON VTRACK ALIGrNINtxV DEVICE Jan. 7, ll 930.

Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Filed Sept. 24, 192B INVENTOR ATTO R NEY Jan. 7, 1930.

i E. G. ERICKSON TRAGK A Ammqr'mf DEVICE Filed sein. 24. ie

Nb/a'on, 55W@ a ggm ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD G. ERICKSON, 0F BAKER, MINNESOTA TRACK-.ALIGN ING DEVICE Appiieetien -iea september 24.,- 192s. seriai Ne. 308,022.

This invention relates to track liners and has for an object the provision of means or curved tracks. n

Another obJect of the invention is the provision of means for adjusting the hner in accordance with the condition of the track, or the degree of the curve, so that the trackl may be readily and accurately lined andv purpose of duplicating these units will be,

afterward gauged. if necessary.

Y Another object of the invention is the provision of a track liner which may be operated either forward or backward, so as to render it unnecesasry to turn the liner 1,

f rier arms 13 and 14 which are 'vertically disaround for movement in a reverse direction. lV ith the above and other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction,

to be hereinafter more fully described, il-j lustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a por- .or irregularities of a rail, while the'wheels tion of one end of the liner.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with a portion of the car platform broken away.`

Figure 3 is a section on the line Figure 1.

Figure 4. is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative positions of the liners with respect to the car trucks.

Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the manner of operation of the liner on a straight track.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the liner operating on a curved track.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the invention as shown in the drawings comprises Va car which may be in the form of a flat car and includes a platform 10. The car is of an'appreciable length,

being approximately one hundred feet between the trucks 11, by means of which the car is supported for movement over the rails R and R. The platform. is illustratedby broken lines in Figure 4e ofthe drawings in order to more clearly show the Iposition of the liners. The trucks arepivotally connected as shown at 12 with the platform 10.

r1`he liners which engage the rails R and R are arranged in liner units' and are spaced longitudinally of the car,`one unit L being spaced approximately forty feet from each. of the trucks while the other unit L is spaced approximately twenty feet from the trucks and between the trucks and the units L. The

presently apparent.

The units L and L are of'like construction except that they operate upon reverse sidesl of the rail. Each of these units includes car-` in thaty they 'act to' 'straighten out the kinks which are carried by the arm 14 may be termed gauge liners in that'they act to position the rail R with respect to the rail R.

The arms 13 are connected by a lining bar 18 with a'beam 19 which extends downwardly and is rigid with one side of the plat-form 10,

connection between the bar 18 and the beam e 19 being effected by means of a yoke 20. The

central portion of this yoke is adjustably connected to the bar 18 as shown at 21, while the ends of the yoke are pivotally vmounted in eye 'bolts22 carried by the beam 19. rEhe bar 18 'that tendency of the lower edge of the beam to move outward will be resisted by these rods 25 yand the wheel '-17 Iwill be hel-d firmly against the side of the rail.

The arm 13 has secured thereto one end of a gauge rod 26. The opposite end ofthis rod extends through an opening provide-din tl}1 e arm 14 and has mounted thereon a spring 2r, thetension of which maybe adjusted by means of a nut 28. The gauge lin-er may thus be yieldingly though firmly held in engagement with the side of the rail R.

' As previously stated, the arm 14 is vertically movable in the bracket 14A and 1n order to yieldingly force this arm downward so that the wheel 16 will firmly 'engage the top of the rail R', ycables 29 are "employed: These cables have one oftheir ends secured to the car platform 10 as shown at 30 andtheir'opp'osite ends securedto theapm14 as shown at 31.

Included in the cables 29 are extensible sections' or springs 32. vThe cables pass Vbeneath pulleys 33 which a-re Vcarried at the lower ends of brackets 34l which depend from the platform 10. The liners will thus Abe yieldingly .f held la ainst upward movement, while li-mited latera 4movement against lthe action of the :spring 27 will be permittedv due to play provided between the vertically disposed arms andthe guide brackets 14.

The liners 'are capable of adjustment transversely of the car and for this purpose the beam 15 is provided with longitudinally extendingrslots 35 'which receive bolts 36 carried 'a v'cross beam 37 which is rigid withrthe f platform y10. The 'beam l'carries a rack bar 38 aindjthis bar is engaged by' a gear 39 carried by' ashaft 40 which is mounted in a bearing 41 provided in the platform. A hand wheel 42 is mounted at the upper end of the shaft 40.'

Each of the units may be adjusted vertiealiy with respect 't the car `and for this purpose, the arms 13 'andnf14 are provided with openings 43, -while the brackets 14 are k'provided with openings/44.y The un'its may thus be raised andbolts or pins passed through the openings 43iand 44 to hold the Aunits elevated.

In operation, the car is moved over 'the track by anysuitable power. Assuming'y that theca'r is travelling in the direction of the K `arrew shown in Figure 5v of the drawings, the

units L, L at the forward end of the car are raised out of engagementl with the rails. Forward 'movement of the car will cause the unit Lto move the rails laterally as shown in Figure 5. This moves the rails laterally oli center, while the unit `L which operates lon the reverse 'side ofthe rails moves themlaterallyfi'n an opposite direction, returning them to Vtheir proper central position.`v After this --operatiomone'of the rails, forl example the rail R, will be accurately lined, and in the event that the rail R is positioned to provide proper gauge, this rail' may be afterward engagedby the readjustment of the spikes with V the ordinaryor any preferred gauging opera-V tion'.l `illeforev.the Vlining operation, the liners may be adjusted with respect to the car in accordance with the conditionfof the track,

adjustment beingi eected through the -rack and gear connection 38 and 39 and the turn;v buckle 23.

In lining a curve, after the degree of the` curve has been determined, the units L and L may be properly set through lateral adjustment and the car passed over the rails and the operation previously described performed.

When it is desired to move the carin an opposite direction, the liner units which have been raised are lowered while the liner units at the'opposite end of the car are raised. It is therefore not :necessary to turn the car around, as this would' be a diiiicult operation in a car fof this length.

The inventionv is susceptible of various changes k1n its form, proportionsA and mino-r details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such *changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed' is:

1. A railroad track'liner comprising a carV having a truck at each -end adapted to travel over a track, 'a pair of transversely` spaced the car andengag'ing vthe rails to move said .f

rails laterally in an opposite direction.

3. A railroad track liner comprising a car having a truck at each end adapted to travel over a track, a pair of transversely spaced'ra-il engaging devices `located beneath the car and spaced from the trucks, a second pair of transversely spaced rail engaging devices nlocated beneath the car between the trucks and the iirst mentioned track engaging devices, means to adjust the devices transversely of the car, Vand means to adjust the rail engaging means laterally withV respect to the car.

versely spaced ra'il engaging devices carried 4. In a railroad track liner, a car adapted `to travel over the rails of a track, transby the car and engaging the top and one v side of one of the rails, -transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried'by'the car andy `engaging the top and one `side ofthe other rail, the second 'mentioned devices engaging the s1de of the rail opposite that engaged by Vthe first mentioned devices, and means to adjust the devices transversely of the car.

5. In a railroad track liner, afcar adapted to travel overthe rails of a traek, transverse- ,lyV spaced rail engagingdevices Carried by the car and engaging the'vtop and 'one side ofone 0f. the rails,- transversely spaced. rail lao,

engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the other rail, the second mentioned devices engaging the s-ide of the rail opposite that engaged by the rst mentioned device, and means to yieldingly hold the rail engaging devices of one rail in engagement with said rail.

6, In a railroad track liner, a car adapted to travel over the rails of a track, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of one of the rails, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the other rail, the second mentioned devices engaging the side of the rail opposite that engaged by the first mentioned devices, each of said devices including transversely spaced vertically disposed carrier arms, rightangularly disposed wheels carried at the lower ends of said arms, means to mount the arms for vertical movement, means connecting the arms, and means to adjust the arms transversely of the car.

7. In a railroad track liner, a car adapted to travel over the rails of a track, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of one of the rails, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the other rail, the second mentioned devices engaging the side of the rail opposite that engaged by the first mentioned devices, each of said devices including transversely lspaced vertically disposed carrier arms, rightangularly disposed wheels carried at the lower ends of said arms, means to mount the arms for vertical movement, means connecting one of the arms with the car to force the wheels carried by said arm against one of the rails, means yieldingly connecting said arm with the other arm to force the wheels carried thereby against the other rail, and means to adjust the arms transversely of the car.

8. In a railroad track liner, a car adapted to travel over the rails of a track, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of one of the rails, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the other rail, the second mentioned devices engaging the side of the rail opposite that engaged by the first mentioned devices, each of said devices including transversely spaced vertically disposed carrier arms, rightangularly disposed wheels carried at the lower ends of said arms, means to mount the arms for vertical movement, a lining bar connecting one of the arms with the car to force the wheels carried by said arm against one of the rails to line said rail with respect to said car, means to yieldingly connect said arm with the other arm to force the wheels carried thereby against the other rail, and means to adjust theV arms transversely of the car.

9. In a railroad track line, a car adapted to travel over the rails of a track, transversely spaced rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the rails, transversely spaced' rail engaging devices carried by the car and engaging the top and one side of the other rail, the second mentioned devices engaging the side of the rail opposite that engaged by the first mentioned devices, each of said devices including transversely spaced vertically disposed carrier arms, rightangularly disposed wheels carried at the lower ends of said arms, means to mount the arms for vertical movement, means connecting the arms, and means to yieldingly force the rail engaging devices downward.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

EDWARD G. ERICKSON. 

